National Model for Early Childhood, Cleveland’s PRE4CLE Plan Shows Continued Success in Year Two Annual Report

June 20, 2017

PRE4CLE released its second annual report last week showing that Cleveland has continued to make strides toward expanding access to high-quality preschool for all of its children. PRE4CLE is Cleveland’s plan to expand high-quality preschool to all 3- and 4-year-olds in the city, as part of Cleveland’s Plan for Transforming Schools. PRE4CLE’s work to expand access to high-quality preschool targets neighborhoods where there are not enough high-quality preschools available to meet the need in the community.

After PRE4CLE’s second year, 4,277 children in Cleveland are enrolled in high-quality preschool, —a 50% increase in preschool enrollment since 2013. Additionally, 22 out of 33 neighborhoods have increased their high-quality preschool supply, including 16 neighborhoods that now have enough high-quality preschool seats to serve at least 50% of the neighborhood population, up from 11 when PRE4CLE started. Children enrolled in PRE4CLE classrooms also made strides toward kindergarten readiness.

The preschool expansion plan was launched in 2014 and has garnered $8.9 million in public and private support from Cleveland Metropolitan School District, Cuyahoga County, PNC Bank, The George Gund Foundation, The Cleveland Foundation, The Abington Foundation, Bruening Foundation, Thomas H. White Foundation, and The Char and Chuck Fowler Family Foundation. ACS’ deep knowledge in early childhood issues across the country, as well as expertise in facilitation, communication, advocacy, and strategy development, helped guide Cleveland, Ohio’s plan for preschool, PRE4CLE.